Parents not paying for tutoring, getting beyond a joke now

[Sashavelour65]

This is where I should probably have a written agreement rather than relying on the goodwill of parents as I have done until now.

Started tutoring a GCSE pupil just after Christmas, agreed duration, rate and method of payment were agreed in a phone call before the Christmas holidays.
At the end of the lesson, we verbally agreed to continue the following week.

At the end of the very first lesson the father asked for payment methods and I sent over my bank details immediately after the lesson.
No payment sent, still nothing the next day. I sent a polite reminder, still nothing. 2 days after that I got a 'So sorry I totally forgot!' And a payment that evening with the wrong amount.

I advised on the correct amount, after the next lesson same thing happened. No payment after 3 days, so I texted saying going forward I will require payment within 24 hours of each lesson. They apologised and sent the payment and said they'd set a reminder.

The following week they sent it within 24 hours, so I thought the issue was resolved.

2 days late the week after. This time it's been 4 days and I haven't had the payment.
I've had enough now, they wouldn't do this with another paid service. I am still waiting on Thuesday's payment and I shouldn't have to be chasing up every week. Aibu to just tell them I won't be returning? I feel like they do not respect my time, I don't want to let the pupil down as it's not their fault.

I think it's actually unprofessional to take payment on the day. You're offering a professional service. And I can't think of any other professional service where you pay the provider by handing over money - if it's a private dentist, physio or medical professional, solicitor , you don't start fumbling around to pay them- you might pay at reception or you're invoiced and that's 'removed' from the professional.

Who wants to be doing a financial transaction at the end of the lesson with a parent fumbling in their bag for money, or writing a cheque, or banking on their phone?

I had students back to back and there simply wasn't time to deal with payment or parents who had 'forgotten'.

I prepaid the month in advance for 11+ tutor, blocks of 5 lessons in advance for flute. Also a four week paid notice period to cancel.

Agree with other comment to spend a day focused on getting this sorted out for a clients, it will reap rewards in future!

You need to ask for prepayment. My children’s maths tutor charges in 4 lesson advance ‘blocks’ which once paid we use. Once I have had the last paid session she texts and says ‘If you wish to continue it’s £x for the next four sessions’. People will do what they can get away with sadly

For our tutors we either have to pay a month in advance, or cash in the lesson.

If tutors are declaring income and doing a self assessment for tax, it's far easier to do that using bank payments or cheques.

Taking cash makes it much harder to keep track of it unless you're writing it all down in a little accounts book!

I think there is a difference between tutors who do a couple or so lessons a week (and some may not be qualified teachers) and others who are teachers and do tutoring as a proper business (because then you can offset overheads for working from home, materials, etc or car allowance if you're going to your students.)

I run a tutoring sideline too. This variation in paying happens to me as well. I now put in the 'Our agreement' document/email that payment is to be within 24 hours of each tutoring session. The parents are usually quiet good with it. Worst I've ever needed to do is send a "Just checking if you tried to pay....." Text.

I don't want it any more formal as the flexibility can go both ways. Need to cancel? Ok. Means I don't feel as guilty if DD2 needs to visit A and E or similar.

It's a balance. But for me it works.

But if you need to cancel because of an emergency you just credit that lesson when the next batch is to be paid.

I find it odd TBH that professionals like teachers are so 'flexible' about payment and almost encourage parents to be casual about when they pay.

You need to start thinking of it as running a business, because too many parents regard it as 'pin money' and hence mess tutors about.

so if they agree to advance payment, and the other family does still need someone..?

Well..the other family stays on the waiting list.

They will have been told there may be a space and OP will let them know.

It's not complicated.

I’m sorry, but this is partly on you. You need to have a contract with clear terms about payment. You shouldn’t have to chase, but imo (and I do similar work) it’s a bit unprofessional not to document all this.
Maybe you could put an agreement in place now?

I think this makes sense.

Music lessons where I live have always been pay in advance for a term. Then all that needs sorting is the end of terms if not enough lessons have happened for whatever reason.

Honestly, never been a problem to me to work like this. I'm massively over subscribed with a waiting list for both this and next academic year, there are not enough tutors that do what I do in my local area so once they have me, i'm not taken for granted.

I think it's unprofessional to be dealing with money at the end of a session if that's what you're doing.
(Not clear what you say you do, to be honest.)

It's also a pain for parents to have cash, write cheques or do BACS every single week. And it makes it harder for you to keep on top of your earnings for self assessment.

It really does help to have a clear contract up front @Doone22if only to have some leverage. Most of my customers pay up front which helps with late cancels or no-shows but the ones I get through health insurance don’t pay upfront and the health insurers will only pay for sessions that actually happen, so it’s up to me to enforce my terms and extract payment for my time they’ve wasted if they didn’t show up or cancelled a few hours before. It’s much easier if they’ve already signed something. I have taken someone through the small claims process once which was easy but only because I could prove they’d signed a contract and my terms had been abundantly clear.

I worked out that if I “made an exception just this once” as I’m frequently asked to do for every person who cancels last minute or doesn’t turn up then over the year I’d end up with c.£12k in lost earnings which I can’t afford. The best way is to be very clear from the outset and then the difficult conversations about payment are easier. Some people (sadly) use any ambiguity or vagueness on the part of the “provider” to deliberately avoid paying.

It's up to the individual how they deal with their self assessment. That's got nothing to do with it. I offer my students the option to pay in a block via transfer, individual lesson but transfer it by cash. I have very few cash payments these days but there are some. The majority are transfer. But i fully understand that not everyone can pay in a block. I do what works for them. But if I had to chase payments constantly I'd just get rid.

I bring cash when I drop off my child. I wouldn’t expect to do it any other way?

Why is it any different compared to booking other lessons like swimming, dance, drama or any of the millions of other activities children do after school?
You don't pay the instructor/ teacher on the day putting money in their hands.
You'll pay termly on receipt of an invoice.

Just because a tutor is home-based doesn't mean they are not running their teaching as a business although it's clear that some don't and still take the archaic cash in hand approach.

I don't carry much cash these days at all. Many people don't. The idea of having to ask for cash is IMO a bit antiquated and it doesn't feel professional.
Parents are usually paid monthly and most people work on a monthly basis for their outgoings.
I retired from tutoring 10 years ago but even then no one I knew was paying tutors in cash.

Ask for payment in half term blocks. My mum tutored and did this after people messed her about, didn't pay, or years ago paid with cheques that bounced.

I also pay for my child's lesson in blocks like that. If they are serious about tuition they'll pay it.

It's all online, they pay via bank transfer. All declared to Inland revenue in my tax return at the end of the financial year.

Not that your condesention means anything to me. A pity you are being so judgemental.

I have about 20 students a week. Only 3 pay in cash.

TBF, those are different because you can tap with your card. If you offered a contactless payment option I guarantee they'd be fine with using it at drop off/collection. For places where I have to pay cash only or transfer only I can easily forget and be late with payments because I have to sit down with a pen and paper to do it and it's not something I always have with me or time or internet to do in the moment.

I pay my cleaner and gardener cash on the day they do the work. I suppose they are not 'professionals' in your world.
How about my solicitor? She wants paying by card on the day the work is completed. She did give me terms of business at our first meeting.

Hairdresser, cash or card on the day my hair is cut. Nails, a deposit when booking the rest when nails are completed.
Petrol, cash or card as soon as I've filled my tank.
Vet, another professional, payment by cash or card before I leave the surgery. Their terms of business are on a rolling screen in the waiting room, together with other options, prescription charges and prices for standard treatments.

Get rid of them. Users and time wasters.
U are being unreasonable if u dance to their tune.

I'm an occupational therapist not a tutor, but I charge for sessions in blocks of 4 a few weeks prior to the start of the block. I also let parents pay in installments but everything is agreed by email beforehand and I have T&C covering everything.